SOUTH AFRICAN

Sanna: An American photojournalist and a South African teacher held by al-Qaeda militants in Yemen have been killed in a failed US rescue attempt, authorities said on Saturday.
US President Barack Obama said in a statement he ordered the raid that saw Luke Somers and Pierre Korkie killed after al-Qaeda in...

New Delhi: A South African national, arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport last year while trying to export over 17 kg of contraband substance, has been convicted by a Delhi court.
Michael Shibambo was held guilty under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after 17.5...

South African athlete Oscar Pistorious girlfriend's murder trail will come to an end on Thursday. The judge is expected to deliver her verdict on the case. If Oscar is found guilty of the charge of premeditated murder, he could be jailed for 25 years.
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Star batsmen AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla are the leading candidates to succeed Graeme Smith as South Africa's Test captain.
Cricket South Africa's board meets in Johannesburg on Tuesday to make what is seen as a crucial decision after a decade of Smith at the helm.
Smith captained South Africa in...

South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius was ordered on Tuesday to undergo a month of psychiatric tests to find out whether he was criminally responsible when he shot dead his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year.
Judge Thokozile Masipa told Pistorius he must report to Pretoria's Weskoppies hospital,...

South African Paralympic and Olympic track star Oscar Pistorius is expected to take the stand for the first time on Monday in a bid to prove his innocence against charges he murdered his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius, nicknamed the "Blade Runner" due to the carbon-fibre prosthetic limbs he uses in...

The murder trail of Oscar Pistorius was adjourned on Friday until April 7, when the South African Paralympic and Olympic track star is expected to take the stand in his own defence in a high-stakes bid to prove his innocence and avoid life in prison.
Judge Thokozile Masipa postponed proceedings for...

A tongue-in-cheek book that purports to deal with an awkward but critical issue, 'How to Poo on a Date', scooped an award for the Oddest Book Title of the Year on Friday.
The winner of the Diagram Prize, awarded annually since 1978 and based on a public vote since 2000, beat...

Johannesburg: Former South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs found himself under unexpected spotlight during the trial of Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The trial is being broadcast live on television and radio, generating unprecedented public interest.
Gibbs started receiving messages from fans and friends...

Pretoria: 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius asked a friend to take the blame for him accidentally discharging a pistol under the table of a posh Johannesburg restaurant in January 2013, a month before he killed his girlfriend, his murder trial heard on Wednesday.
Testifying for the prosecution against the South African Olympic...

Pretoria: The judge in the murder trial of South African track star Oscar Pistorius sharply warned the media to behave on Tuesday after a local television station leaked a photo of the state's first witness who had asked that her image not be broadcast.
Judge Thokozile Masipa ordered an investigation into...

Benoni: The opening day of the practice match between the Indians and the South African Invitation XI squad was on Friday called off without a ball being bowled due to the wet outfield here.
The twoday match, the only practice game scheduled before India's Test series against South Africa next week,...

Johannesburgh: Home favourite Charl Schwartzel will take a onestroke lead into Sunday's final round of the South African Open after carding a thirdround 69 for a 15underpar total of 201 that sets him up for a title that has previously eluded him.
The 29yearold Schwartzel, who is the highestranked South African...

Johannesburg: The South African Football Association (SAFA) has banned 15 officials for life for trying to take the national association to court in violation of FIFA rules.
SAFA says the officials from the central Free State province should have resolved their grievances over voting procedures in the runup to the election...

Johannesburg: The South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) on Tuesday described the curtailed IndiaSouth Africa series here as a sad day for the sport and said cricket in the country would be at an overall loss due to this decision.
Putting an end to weeks of speculation, the BCCI on Tuesday gave...

Johannesburg: The South African Cricketers Association has called on the BCCI and the CSA to urgently work out the itinerary for the upcoming tour by India, saying that the continuing delay is "worrying and frustrating" for the players.
SACA CEO Tony Irish said the series is the highlight of the South...

Johannesburg: Cricket South Africa (CSA) did not act unilaterally when it announced the schedule for an extended tour by India later this year that is now under threat of being shortened by the BCCI, according to South African Cricketers' Association (SACA).
"My understanding is that CSA went through the same process...

Johannesburg: The world No. 1 Test side faces a busy Test season ahead, but the team's bowling coach Allan Doland isn't worried about the selection of the squad that he says "picks itself".
"The Test team picks itself, you're not going to see too many changes there," Donald told Sport24 in...

Jacques Kallis, who earlier this month pledged his allegiance to South Africa's ODI team in a final bid to win the World Cup, has dismissed criticism that he picks and chooses when he plays for the country. The veteran allrounder, who will turn 38 on October 16, has not played...

South African allrounder Wayne Parnell is still awaiting results of some cardio tests after he left the field during South Afirca A's four-day match against India A past week complaining breathing problem.
Following the problem Parnell spent two nights in hospital and underwent a number of tests, ESPNcricinfo reported on Wednesday....

Johannesburg: Former South African President Nelson Mandela's health is slowly recovering but he remains in a critical condition, the government said on Sunday, in its first update on his health in nearly two weeks.
The 95yearold antiapartheid leader has been in a Pretoria hospital for two months for treatment of a...

Johannesburg: Former South African president Nelson Mandela's grandson was removed from his tribal position on Sunday over an ongoing family feud over gravesites, Xinhua reported. The development occurred as the antiapartheid leader Mandela remains in a critical but stable condition, spending his fourth week in a Pretoria hospital due to...

Johannesburg: The South African government has dismissed media reports that said antiapartheid icon Nelson Mandela was in a permanent vegetative state with a life support machine keeping him alive in hospital. "The Presidency has noted media reports about the condition of former president Mandela and would like to make a...

Johannesburg: The South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) has paid tribute to Tim May, who resigned as the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) citing frustration at the global governing body amid allegations of corruption in the game and backroom politicking.
"Tim has done a great job for...

East London: Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and opening bowler Umar Gul spurred a strong showing by the touring Pakistani team on the second day of their fourday match against a South African Invitation XI at Buffalo Park on Saturday.
Ahmed hit 93 and Gul made 49 as the tourists recovered from their...

Port Elizabeth: The South African Cricketers' Association has raised the possibility of taking the world's topranked Test team out on a "lawful strike" next month in protest over the makeup of the country's new governing board.
SACA says on Thursday, on the eve of South Africa's second Test against New Zealand,...

Johannesburg: A South African man on Wednesday pleaded guilty of being hired by a BritishIndian to kill his honeymooning wife and was sentenced to 25 years in prison, raising the prospects of early extradition and trial of the accused businessman husband.
Mziwamadoda Qwabe was one of two men accused by prosecution...

Mumbai: South African Deputy Minister of Trade & Industry Elizabeth Thabethe, who is currently on a visit to India said in Mumbai on Friday that women had a major role to play in the global economy.
"Women empowerment is an issue very close to my heart. Women now have a major...

Johannesburg: Unpaid by their board for the past eight months, Sri Lankan cricketers got the support of their South African counterparts, who feel it is a credit to Tillakaratne Dilshan's men that they have still carried on with their national duty.
In a statement issued by the South African Cricketers' Association...

New Delhi: Somdev Devvarman jumped 30 places to reach a career best singles ranking of 80 in the ATP charts following his stupendous show at the South African Tennis Open, where he ended runnerup on Sunday.
Somdev lost the summit clash to local favourite Kevin Anderson but earned 150 ranking points,...